Tenderness
by Faulty Paragon
Summary: In which Riku remembers what is truly worth fighting for, and that he's always had a place to call home. He's never been alone. Takes place after KHII.


A/N: A follow-up piece to my oneshots _Reunion _and _Homecoming, _taking place after both of those simultaneous stories. In my head, this piece also fits in with my oneshot _Fingertips, _but that's just my sad little headcanon speaking. I would highly recommend reading these three short stories (or at least, the first two) in order to understand the dynamic between the characters. The whole series takes place between KH2 and DDD.

* * *

Tenderness

Darkness. It was like an ever-present shadow, an eternal companion that lurked in the corners of his mind, hidden away in the recesses of his heart. There had been a time when Riku had drank in the power of darkness, had felt it course through his body, surging through him from head to toe; he had bathed in it, allowing it to become irrevocably intertwined with his own being. It had granted him more strength than he had ever dreamed possible.

But he had been younger then, and power like that was always too good to be true.

After that realization, the darkness had become his enemy, the one thing in his mind which threatened to consume him. And, consume him, it had- over and over and over again, leaving him at times a willing participant, and at others, a terrified child. He regretted opening his heart to darkness more than anything. It had caused so much harm to everything, everyone, he had ever loved- and no matter how many times anyone else told him otherwise, he knew he would always feel like all the bad things that had happened to his friends… they were all his fault.

And yet, tonight, something was different. As he opened his eyes, drinking in the sight of a starry night sky, the darkness no longer felt like an enemy. It was a comforting blanket, surrounding him in warmth despite the briskness of the evening breeze. It soothed him, allowing his eyes to rest upon the gentle moon's reflection shimmering on the surface of the ocean, millions of little stars just pinpricks in the distance, swallowed up by the intensity of the moon's light. It was breathtaking.

_Maybe I'm just giddy after seeing Mom._ He snorted ruefully. _I still can't believe I actually saw her tonight._

He fingered the photograph sitting in his pocket mindlessly, the one which he had taken from his old bedside table. It felt so _surreal _that the entire ordeal was over. However, that photograph of himself and Sora together was proof that he had set foot in that house again. Its presence on his person felt warm, safe.

Riku sighed, releasing the photograph and leaning back against the curved trunk of the paopu tree. No matter how many times he shifted against it, it just didn't feel comfortable against his body. When he had left Destiny Islands nearly two years earlier, this spot had been one of his favourites- leaning against the paopu tree, pondering life while watching the sunset, had always been the best way to end his day.

Now, the thick trunk sat uncomfortably against the small of his back, too low to provide support and too high to be a real seat for him. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair, pushing bangs that were far too long now out of his eyes.

_This used to be so normal, huh. _Images of countless sunsets, watched from this exact spot with an excitable brunet by his side, flooded his mind. _And now, something is just… off._

That thought sent a pang of loneliness racing through his heart. He and Sora were due to head back aboard the King's gummi ship the next day, leaving behind the tropical islands he had once called home yet again. They had only come back to say their goodbyes to whatever home they had left, before they completed whatever training Master Yen Sid had in store for them. Mickey and the elderly wizard had both made it extremely clear that whatever mission they were about to embark upon, it wouldn't be easy.

It had been Riku's idea to visit their parents. While he hadn't been hopeful about his own- in fact, he had expected his own venture to his childhood home to be far more fruitless than it ended up being- he could still remember how wonderfully loving Sora's parents had always been. In his mind's eye, he could still see the two welcoming figures who had taken Riku in like a child of their own.

He clenched his fist. _They took me in… and look what a mess I've made of all their kindness._

He swallowed heavily, forcing the guilt back down his throat. He closed his eyes, and instantly, his own mother's pained expression, pale skin drawn tight in weary heartbreak, came to mind. It still felt like an impossible experience, seeing her standing in the doorway as she watched him head out again. It was bizarre. She had never seen him off before.

But earlier that night, Riku had experienced a lot of firsts. He had seen his mother cry for him. He had cooked for her, seen a thankful glint in her eyes as she ate, speechless. He had told her to be safe, to take better care of herself. She told _him _to be safe. He had set everything to right, and in doing so, had found the love he had never known he had. It had been a stilted warmth- an awkward one, from a woman who had never really known how to be a _mother _before she was a successful career woman- but it had been there, filling up a hole in his heart he had doomed to suffer in emptiness for all eternity.

Yet, he didn't know if he would ever return to that empty house. _Maybe coming back to Destiny Islands after this is all over isn't a good idea,_ he thought glumly. He had effectively said his goodbyes to his mother, after all. His mind began to wander, flitting between different images which could await him in a life of peace. Even after they restored the balance of the worlds, by using the power of the Keyblade, there would likely always be work ready for him away from Destiny Islands. Under the guidance of King Mickey or Master Yen Sid, he could easily imagine himself spending the rest of his days fighting against the darkness, ensuring that no one ever made the same mistakes that he had in the past.

"Munny for your thoughts?" a quiet, quivering voice murmured beside him.

Riku leapt a foot off the ground, startled by the sudden company. Seeing familiar spiky brown hair, he relaxed, pressing a hand against his furiously beating heart. "Sora, you…" But his words trailed away. Even in the darkness, he could see how red and puffy the younger boy's eyes were. Letting out a long, tired breath, he reached out a hand and grabbed Sora's shoulder, tugging the younger boy to him.

Without a word, Sora complied, and soon the brunet was nestled underneath Riku's chin. The elder wrapped his arms around the boy's shoulders, feeling a shuddering sigh hit his exposed clavicle. He bit down the shiver that instinctively shot up his own spine. It wasn't time for this. "I'm proud of you, Sora," he soothed gently, stroking Sora's hair. "That was brave. You did it."

Sora nodded against his shoulder, but soon pulled away, large aqua-blue eyes standing out against red-rimmed lids. "I was scared. It was really hard," he admitted. "They… they missed me."

The silver-haired boy eased Sora to lean upon the paopu tree by his side, looking up at the beautiful waterscape beyond. The moonlight washed over Sora's features, giving him an ethereal glow. For a moment, Riku was enraptured.

His hand itched to grab Sora's. This moment- this quiet intimacy, waves upon a shore- felt so reminiscent of their stay upon the shores of the Dark World, just a few days before.

He clenched his fist. Sora couldn't know. No one could.

Turning back to glance at Riku, Sora smiled weakly. "But we both did it, right?"

Stiffly, Riku nodded. He hadn't really wanted to talk about what had awaited him in his childhood home. "Yeah. My mom was home."

The brunet's eyes lit up, all traces of sadness and guilt gone, and Riku felt wiry arms crush him into a hug once again. "Riku, that's amazing! You saw her!" he squealed.

"Woah! Easy there," the silver-haired boy couldn't help but laugh wryly. "We spoke, I checked in with her, and we said our goodbyes."

"Wait," Sora paused, "you're not sleeping there?"

_This is why I didn't want to talk about it. _"No. It… wouldn't feel right," Riku finally confessed. "I was planning on camping out here again."

Sora huffed, then tugged on his arm none-too-gently. "I knew you'd say that. If that's the plan, then you should come back with me!" Sora insisted. "My parents… I really want to spend the night there." His voice dropped low, the excitement fading back into the dim expression of guilt he couldn't help but wear. "I just… I hurt them _so much, _Riku. They cried when I left. I don't want to leave without even staying one night."

Those words crushed Riku's heart into infinitesimal pieces. He knew it- he _knew _his actions had hurt that sweet couple, and he had worn the shame and frustration and self-directed anger from that knowledge for _years. _But to hear it from Sora's mouth, to hear that Riku's actions had led those incredibly kind, welcoming people to suffer… it broke him.

Abruptly, he shook his head. "I can't face them, Sora," he whispered, pulling his eyes back to the moonlight. That way, at least, he didn't have to look at the growing hurt upon Sora's face.

"But why? You never…" Riku could practically hear the comprehension dawning upon the younger boy. Almost feverishly, Sora grabbed one of his hands, holding it tight between his own. Riku blushed and turned away, feeling the gentle touch upon his own skin. The brunet cried, "Riku, you didn't do anything wrong. Ansem tricked you!"

"It was still my actions that led to the end of this world," he replied glumly, raising his empty hand. He could see every little detail, every groove and crease upon his palm, swirling within his fingertips, in the moonlight. _This _was the hand that had reached out to Ansem and accepted the darkness.

He may not have been the true harbinger of destruction upon the universe, but he certainly had been a catalyst, and nothing Sora could say would ever change that fact.

"But…" Sora mumbled, pressing his forehead into Riku's shoulder, "…if it wasn't for you, we never would've saved everyone, either. My parents don't blame you." Riku's breath caught in his throat. "I told them a short version of what happened, and they… they weren't angry at you. Not at all." Sora looked back up into Riku's eyes, aqua irises glassy with fresh tears, with fresh remorse and frustration. "They said they missed you, too."

A short bark of laughter spilled out of the elder. "Missed me? I'm not even their child," he muttered bitterly.

"You've always been theirs," Sora breathed. Pleading, he said, "Please? Come stay with us? It'll be like old times."

Riku could never resist Sora. With a tired, defeated sigh, he ruffled Sora's hair, trying to shove down the rapidly-rising trepidation clogging his throat. "...Fine."

Giggling happily, Sora grabbed Riku's hand and yanked him towards the docks down below, where there sat two old, shabby rowboats waiting to take them back to the main island. Riku followed without protest, his legs moving automatically, arms rowing mechanically, feet pounding against the pavement on an avenue he had walked down only a few hours earlier, after saying goodbye to his mother.

It felt wrong to be back already.

xXx

In the dead of night, their footsteps rang loudly throughout the neighbourhood. Sora continued to giggle excitedly the entire way back to his home, trying to stifle the sounds before he woke up the entire community with his newfound cheeriness. Riku wanted to shush him, to calm the boy down before he made too much of a racket- however, he was too distracted. A part of him was still dreading the quickly-upcoming encounter with Sora's parents, while yet another part was just warm and blushing and incoherent from the sudden contact.

After tying their boats back at the main island and setting forth upon the road home, Sora had grabbed Riku's hand insistently, lacing their fingers together like it was the most natural thing in the world. Back when they were children, it _had_ been. Now, Riku was grateful for the darkness which allowed his cheeks to burn.

Finally, they reached Sora's front door. To Riku's surprise, they didn't even need to knock- as Sora bounded up the steps, the door swung open, revealing a short woman silhouetted in the frame. She ran a finger through short-cropped brown hair, streaked with grey and swept to the side by worried fingers. Upon seeing Sora, however, her eyes lit up, and the expression of desperation which had appeared for just a moment when she first opened the door slipped away into pure joy. "Dear, it's Sora!" she squealed with delight, ushering her son inside.

Sora's hand slipped out of Riku's at the appearance of his mother, and so the silver-haired boy paused at the bottom of the front steps, tucking his hands into his pockets nervously. Just as time had aged his own mother, the brunette had grown older, wearier, since he had seen her last. Riku could still vividly remember this woman baking cookies for Sora, Kairi and himself so many times throughout his lifetime. She used to look over his trophies and awards when no one else would, ruffle his hair with pride, and take Sora to watch his blitzball games. She had been the stand-in for the parents who were never there. His heart ached for the memories rushing through his mind.

Hands hidden away in his pockets, he clenched his fists and squeezed his eyes tight and cursed his fate for leading him to this doorstep once more. He could hear Sora shift around, could feel his eyes dig deep into Riku's soul, questioning why he wasn't following the brunet into the house. But she was _there, _she was _watching, _and how in the _world _was he supposed to face her, knowing everything that he had done?

He didn't need to bother speaking. Thin, frail arms wrapped around Riku's shoulders, startling him. Instantly, he bolted upright, looking down at the petite woman who reached out a tentative hand to brush his bangs up and off his face, staring up into his eyes.

"Riku," she breathed, and Riku's voice caught in his throat somewhere between a scream of helplessness and a sob. "You're Riku. Oh my god," she took a step back and looked over him from head to toe, incredulity filling her expression. "Oh my god. You're little Riku. You're all grown up... and you're here with Sora."

"Is that really Riku?" a masculine, deep voice murmured from the doorway. Before Riku could respond, Sora's father emerged from the doorway as well, an arm wrapped around his son's shoulder.

Glancing over her shoulder, Sora's mother called breathlessly, "Little Riku is back too. Oh my god, they're both here. They're real." Her hands had slid down to clutch both of Riku's wrists, and he couldn't find the strength in him to tell her she was holding on just a little too tight.

The man lumbered over to the silver-haired teen, leaving Sora behind at the door. Unlike his wife, however, he was more hesitant to speak. His eyes were dark, calculating- torn. "Where have you been all this time, Riku?" he asked slowly, although his eyebrows drew together almost brokenly. There was something odd about the way he asked it- as if he already knew the answer, but needed to hear it from the boy himself, but didn't, at the same time. It was as if he didn't want Riku to respond.

_Wait, why? What's going on?_

The teen swallowed heavily. "I-I…" _Dammit, I never thought about how to explain it to them- how much do they know? _His eyes flashed over to Sora, who was leaning in the doorway, watching his best friend and his parents interacting with a fatigued smile. Remorsefully, Sora mouthed, _They know everything. I told them._

Riku's heart stilled in his chest, and he almost forgot how to breathe.

He desperately searched through his mind, trying to find the right words to say. He wanted to beg for their forgiveness, he wanted to explain himself- but no words emerged. Hanging his head, he whispered at last, "I'm so sorry everything- for taking Sora away."

To his surprise, a quiet, muffled sob was his only response. Sora's mother wrapped her arms tightly around his midriff and cried into his shoulder, "Why are you sorry, you silly boy? You must've been so scared. I'm sorry you two were on your own- I'm so sorry."

Sora's father wrapped his arms around the two of them, tears escaping the larger man's eyes as well. "We missed you, Riku. We looked for you boys everywhere, but we couldn't find you. You-" the man, to Riku's horror, let out a heaving sob, so sudden it was almost a bark, "you've been through so much, huh? Sora told us."

Riku stood stock-still, too shocked to respond. _They actually know everything... and they don't blame me?_

Nothing made sense.

It was only when Sora padded down the steps and gently pulled his parents away from the silver-haired boy that Riku finally began to shift once more, snapping back to reality. "Mom, Dad," Sora murmured softly, "Riku's probably tired."

The two adults finally released the older teen and smiled tenderly at him, the woman stroking Riku's hair kindly. "Have you… gone home yet?"

"I spoke to my mother," Riku replied quietly.

Her smile broadened, but it held a bitter edge to it. "I know you didn't grow up with the best circumstances in that home, but she was just as worried as we were. She loves you, Riku."

He nodded. "I know. She just… isn't the best at showing it."

Her eyes softened. "You're not staying there?" When he shook his head, she nodded, asking no other questions. "Come inside," she ordered, her voice just the same as it had been all those years ago.

It had only been two years. _It's only been two years._

"I can't," Riku mumbled. For it had only been two years, and yet within that timeframe, everything had fallen apart over and over and over again. And no matter how much Sora tried to stop it, Riku's sorrow would never, truly go away.

Suddenly, the darkness of the night didn't seem so inviting anymore. It felt dangerous- cold. Like _him. _

He shuddered, frustration piling up even higher. Raising his eyes, he saw the two adults watching him carefully, their expressions torn between love, relief, concern, and fear. Their eyes roamed over his face, analyzing him, and he felt naked, bare. He felt like his heart was exposed for them both to see- but unlike Sora, his heart had never really been beautiful enough to look at. Shame muddied his gaze. Distantly, he could see understanding, shock, and sorrow flit across their faces.

"Sora, sweetheart," his mother called, placing a hand on her son's back, "you weren't lying when you told us what happened, were you?" Her voice was shaking, but she kept her tone neutral.

"Of course I didn't," Sora pouted, but he too could sense her trepidation. "I told you- the darkness and the Heartless and the Keyblade, it's all real."

She reached out a hand, slipping it into her husband's. "…Show us?"

Riku glanced nervously at Sora, asking for permission. The brunet's brow was furrowed, eyes mournful. With a nod, he held out his hand before him, and Riku did the same. Simultaneously, the large blades materialized with a flash of light, pinpricks of white fading away to reveal Sora's traditional Kingdom Key, and Riku's Way to the Dawn.

The woman gasped, covering her mouth with her free hand. "I can't believe it," she mumbled, looking as if she was about to faint. Panic filled her eyes as she looked between the two boys, a fresh understanding of what Sora had told them earlier setting in.

Instantly, Sora's father commanded, "Let's go inside, boys. No one else needs to see this."

Allowing their grips to relax, the two teens let their Keyblades vanish into the light once more and followed the couple obediently into the small house. As they walked, Sora slipped a warm hand into Riku's and squeezed, causing the boy's heart to swell in thanks.

When they entered the foyer, the woman pointed to the stairs. "Wash up and go to bed, you two," she directed sternly. Riku cringed at the sheer effort she put in to affix a tense smile upon her face as she said this. She wasn't alright- her eyes were glazed over in deep thought. Riku could practically see the image of the Keyblade still lingering on in her frightened gaze.

"You used to stay over all the time, Riku," the elder man added. "Don't be a stranger. When Sora told us you were here as well, and that you'd need a place tonight, we cleaned up. The guest room is free for you, and I put out some clothes that should fit you."

"Riku can use some of mine," Sora grumbled, crossing his arms.

The man blinked owlishly at his son, then laughed heartily in response, dispelling the air of tension which had been filling the room. "Son, I understand you want to help, but do you _really _think little Riku will fit in your old pyjamas? You've always been shorter than him! Why would your old clothes work?"

Sora's pout deepened. "Wow, thanks dad," he mumbled, sticking out his tongue childishly. The man simply ruffled his hair in response and patted the boy on the back, sending him up the stairs.

Before following his best friend, Riku whispered, "You don't have to do all this. I don't deserve it."

The two adults waited until they heard the thud of Sora's bedroom door closing before responding. Sora's mother clicked her tongue dismissively. "Stop that. Sora told us what happened to you." Slowly, she brushed Riku's long bangs away from his eyes to look into them meaningfully. "If all of what he said is true- and I'm still not sure how much to believe, it was _so much- _then there's nothing for you to be ashamed of. He told us what you did- you sacrificed so much to protect Sora, didn't you?"

"But I'm the reason he was hurt in the first place!" he protested.

A dangerous look from the older man shut him up. "Sora told us about- Ansem, was it? That monster who hurt you. You didn't know better, and when you did figure out the truth, you protected Sora."

"And then, Sora goes gallivanting around everywhere trying to find you, only for him to find out that _you_ were protecting him from the shadows the whole time," the brunette added gently.

"You've always been by his side," Sora's father explained, planting his hands upon Riku's shoulders. "Our boy is a little ball of sunshine, but _you're _the one who's always helped protect his light the most."

His knees were shaking, his hands clammy. He could hear his teeth rattling in his head as he shivered in fear, the barrage of sensation and emotion drowning him too much to bear. They were talking about him as if he had _protected _Sora, but all he had ever done was try and clean up the messes he had made. All he had ever done was be selfish- it was _he _who wanted to be with Sora, who _needed _Sora, not the other way around. "No, I-"

"Riku," Sora's mother interjected, cutting him off. "Will you promise me something?"

Mutely, he nodded.

"Will you stay by his side?" Her voice had dropped to a whisper, sounding just as broken as he himself felt. "Sora- my _baby, Sora- _he said you boys have to go. You have people waiting for you, and only you two can help them." She breathed in and out slowly, trying to calm the rapidly-increasing tremors taking over her body. "Is it true? Are you going to be in danger again?"

He didn't respond, but his eyes betrayed the truth. She squeaked in understanding, in pain.

"In that case, please, _please _stand by him," she begged. "_Please. _I- couldn't bear it if- all this time, you two were gone, and I just-"

"Shh," her husband murmured, wrapping the woman up in his arms as she finally began to cry in earnest. He held her tightly, comfortingly soothing her for a moment. It was such an intimate situation, and Riku felt wrong to be there, watching helplessly.

_I don't belong here._

"Promise me!" the woman insisted once again, raising her crumbling voice. She looked up at him through reddened, watery eyes, streaks of tears staining her cheeks. "Promise me you'll look after each other. _Please."_

"Please do it, Riku," the man added quietly, continuing to smooth down his crying wife's hair. "Please. We couldn't bear to lose him."

"Nor you!" the woman shrilled. "You _both _have to be safe. I don't know what is really going on, but it- it- it'll be dangerous, right? You need to promise me you'll both come home."

_Home. _He gulped, feeling his own eyes well up with burning tears. _I don't deserve this. _It wasn't the place to voice those concerns, though. He realized heartbrokenly that these two figures were giving him the most precious task they ever could. They were _trusting _him to protect Sora. They were asking him to come back to them one day.

He couldn't promise them anything. "I'll try," he choked out. "I promise I'll try."

The woman let out a fresh wail and buried her head in her husband's chest. Riku couldn't watch it anymore- he fled upstairs, padding into the guest room as quietly as he could without alerting Sora, who he could hear humming to himself within his own childhood bedroom across the hall.

The clothes which Sora's father had laid out for him to wear to bed were a little loose, but he didn't mind- he slipped into them numbly after washing up, crawling into the stiff bedsheets. He could smell fresh detergent and an air freshener, could see little dust motes floating around in the air within the moonbeams spilling into the room from the window above the bed.

They used to jokingly call this little room _his _bedroom, before everything happened. This room, in which he had spent more nights than within his own home. It was surreal to see it unchanged after all this time.

It was so quiet in this room. For a moment, he almost wished that he was back on the beach, sleeping under the stars. At least there, he could let the waves lull him to sleep.

He didn't know how long he lay there, drifting in and out of an anxious awareness of his situation. Sleep continued to evade him. However, after what felt like an eternity as he lay on his side, staring listlessly out of the window above him, the door to the guest room creaked open ever so slightly. Riku was slow to acknowledge the noise, only truly sensing the intrusion after he felt the blankets behind him lift upwards.

Before he could speak, however, the familiar, clean scent of the ocean and vanilla hit his nose, thin arms pressed against his back, and a youthful voice whimpered, "Can I stay here, Riku?"

At the sound of Sora's voice, comprehension finally dawned upon the silver-haired boy. His face flushed a deep red, and he buried his cheek momentarily in the pillow, holding his breath, trying to ignore just how loudly his heartbeat was pounding through his chest. He could feel Sora's fists clutching his back, his body shaking ever so slightly.

Rolling over carefully, Riku propped himself up on an elbow, watching the other teen. Sora had curled up, impossibly tiny on edge of the tiny twin mattress Riku was using. The moonlight shining through the window cast an eerie sheen on Sora's wet cheeks, those brilliant blue eyes filled with tears again.

Sora had been crying far too much during this trip, Riku realized distantly. That knowledge somehow hurt more than anything else Riku had experienced that night.

"What's wrong, Sora?" Riku murmured, pushing brown locks out of Sora's eyes.

The younger sniffled. "I just… I…"

"Spit it out," Riku pushed, but his voice remained kind, level, belying none of the equal horror and excitement that rushed through his veins. Sora was in his _bed, _and he both felt incredibly warm, and incredibly perverse, for feeling giddy at the proximity. Sora had always been too physically affectionate as a child- it was almost amusing to see that he hadn't changed in adolescence.

The silver-haired boy shoved those thoughts down, and with it, lay down next to Sora. Pulling the brunet's hands into his own, he flinched at the cold, clammy touch. "C'mon, Sora. You can tell me."

"I… I had a nightmare," Sora confessed, terrified. "I was falling, and I didn't know where I was. I know I've been there before- there's something so familiar about that place, there's just _so much water there _and suddenly I wasn't able to breathe anymore, and…" He let out a frightened, exhausted sigh. "I couldn't get out of there. But I could hear them, Riku."

Riku reached up a hand to stroke Sora's hair gently. "Hear who?"

Sora's lip wobbled. "Mom and Dad," he whispered. "I could hear them crying, but I couldn't get back to them. What if it happens one day, Riku?!" His voice began to rise in pitch, the brunet turning back into the little boy Riku had met a lifetime ago. "What if I don't come home? I'll… it would break their hearts."

"Sora-"

"If that came true, and I couldn't find my way back out of the darkness again… I don't know what I'd do." Sora let out a haggard breath, hiccupping quietly. His shoulders slumped, and it was as if all the strength left his body- he simply melted into the mattress, letting the fatigue take hold.

The silver-haired boy bit his lip, debating what to say. A million and one reassurances came to mind, and yet, he couldn't find one that felt right to say to the younger boy.

Instead, he simply slid an arm underneath Sora's tired head and pulled the younger into his arms, tucking soft brunet spikes under his chin. "Why are you so scared, Sora?" he chided playfully. "We both know that would never happen."

Against his collarbone, Sora whimpered, "No, you don't-"

"Yes, I do," Riku insisted. "You'll be alright, no matter what."

After a moment, the brunet whispered, "How do you do always that, Riku? How can you be so sure?"

A surge of affection flooded through Riku. He kept his voice light and teasing, praying that Sora wouldn't hear the intensity, the _promise _of his words. "Because, if you ever fell into the darkness, I'd get you back out of there. I've been there long enough- I know my way around. No matter where you went, I'd find you," he stated resolutely.

Sora seemed to ponder that thought for a few moments, before Riku felt his shoulders shake mirthfully. "You're right, Riku. I believe you."

Riku thumped the boy on the back, startling him. "Good. Now that that's settled, are you good on your own, or…?"

To his surprise, Sora snuggled against his side. "Hm, nope! I'm comfy here."

Riku felt his face burn. "Sora, this mattress isn't big enough to sleep on all night."

"Oh puh-lease, Riku, and you think our old gummi ship was any bigger? Donald used to kick me all the time!" He paused. "Wait, do you kick in your sleep?"

The elder snorted. "God, no."

Sora hummed happily. "That settles it. 'Night, Riku!"

He opened his mouth to protest, but before he knew it, Sora's breathing had slowed down, chest rising and falling gently in time with Riku's heartbeat. He felt his expression soften. As tenderly as he could, he reached down, pulled the blankets up to Sora's neck, and wrapped his free arm around the younger's shoulders, holding him close.

In that moment, he felt calmer than he had in years. Relishing in the warm body in his arms, Riku finally allowed himself to close his eyes, slipping away into a deep slumber.

xXx

The peace which settled over Riku was abruptly broken by an anxious voice crying, "Sora? Sora, where are-" The door burst open, startling Riku's eyes open. Standing at the entryway was Sora's mother, the small woman frozen in dismay as she locked eyes with Riku, then trailed her gaze towards the chocolate mess of spikey hair in Riku's arms. The elder boy paled considerably, eyes darting between Sora, still snuggled against his chest, and Sora's mother, whose eyes were now burning into Riku with a frenzy so strong it burned. It wasn't anger, nor disapproval- it was some intense emotion he just couldn't name.

Sora, still sleeping soundly, made a tiny noise in his sleep and curled closer to the elder boy.

Silently, Riku retracting his arms, removing himself from Sora as quickly and carefully as possible. Unfortunately, the younger stirred despite his best efforts, and soon the boy sat up in the bed, rubbing his eyes and yawning widely. Through bleary eyes, Sora turned and looked at the figure standing motionless in the door. "Morning, Riku, mom," he mumbled tiredly.

Wordlessly, Sora's mother strode into the room, sitting upon the edge of the bed and hugging her son with a fervor. "I didn't see you in your room," she murmured into his hair, holding him tight. "I was so worried."

Riku's heart filled with empathy for the woman. The thought of letting Sora's parents know about their sleeping arrangement hadn't even crossed his mind- in fact, he couldn't help but kick himself for not waking the boy up earlier and sending him back to his own room. His mother must've come up to check on Sora, only to find an empty bed, just like she had two years earlier.

It must've been terrifying.

"I had a nightmare," Sora explained innocently with another yawn. "Riku let me stay here."

"I see," she murmured thoughtfully, patting his back. Eventually, the woman released Sora from her grasp. "Come down for breakfast, boys," she said sweetly, planting a kiss on Sora's forehead. "It'll be ready soon."

Sora nodded obediently, beaming up at his mother before shuffling out of the room. With that, the petite woman stood and headed for the door. As she left, however, she paused to cast a meaningful look towards Riku, that same unnamed emotion swirling in her eyes.

_She saw us. She knows how I feel about Sora. Oh my god, what will she say?_

It was as if Riku's heart had escaped his body, leaving him empty and cold. Numbly, he went through the motions of cleaning up, puttering after Sora down the staircase and into the kitchen. Waiting inside were Sora's parents, who both turned to look at the boys simultaneously from the stove, where delicious smells were wafting into the dining area. Sora was unaffected by the unusual silence, but Riku could only sweat nervously, awaiting their judgement.

They knew. Their eyes darted between Sora and Riku, wide and unsure, filled with too many questions for the silver-haired boy to answer. Both of the adults traded glances, then brought their gazes to rest upon Riku, who shifted uncomfortably under the heaviness of their scrutiny.

_They know._

Sora, completely unaware of the situation at hand, busied himself with grabbing a glass of juice from the fridge. His eyes were still practically closed, sleep hanging upon his shoulders like a cloak. Riku noticed out of the corner of his eye that Sora grabbed Riku a glass, too, before wandering back to the dining room. Through the open door, the elder could see the brunet yawn tiredly, setting both glasses down on the dining table and laying his head down beside them, waiting for the upcoming meal. "Riku, come sit," Sora groaned, settling himself in for another quick nap.

Almost on instinct, Riku's eyes lit up, a smile tugging at his lips. The near-constant crease between his brows eased as he drank in the sight of Sora waiting for him-

And his eyes snapped back to Sora's parents, who still watched him, gazes now inscrutable after that exchange. He gulped, fear rising into his throat, stealing his voice away. He felt his expression break, panic building deep within his chest, shame filling him from head to toe.

They knew how he felt about Sora. They also knew of all the pain he had caused Sora ever since their disappearance. He had promised himself long ago that his feelings would never be known to the younger boy- there were just too many loose ends to take care of before he was ready to divulge his feelings. And even then, even after everything was finished and the balance of light and dark restored, he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to speak up about the love in his heart for his childhood best friend. As long as Kairi was by Sora's side…

No one was supposed to know- so why was this happening?

The petite woman walked towards Riku, and although he was much taller than her, he flinched reflexively and shut his eyes tight when she reached a hand up to his face.

He had been expecting to be hit. Instead, he felt tender, callused fingertips gently brushing his hair out of his eyes before cupping his cheek. Riku opened his eyes slowly, one at a time, surprised to find a worried warmth gazing up at him. Her eyes were just as blue and clear as her son's, and it broke Riku's heart to see those eyes so full of loneliness.

Quietly, Sora's mother whispered, "You promised last night."

Mutely, he nodded.

"You'll stay with him." Her voice was so hushed, Riku could barely hear it over the sizzle of bacon from the stovetop.

He nodded again, swallowing hard, eyes trailing over to look at Sora's father. The large man watched him sagely, gauging his response. "Forever," Riku breathed back. "If he'll let me."

Her expression was as troubled as it was thoughtful. A brief glance at her husband showed that he felt the same. Riku let out a long, haggard breath. Would they oppose him? Would they reject him? He could imagine them screaming, throwing the pans hanging upon the wall at him, chasing him out of the cozy little kitchen _so easily-_ and he'd be powerless to stop them. How dare he try and take away their only son, after all?

And yet, he knew, deep in his heart, that even if they did chase him away- even if they did spit on him, tell him to get out and to never talk to Sora again, that they would never be able to separate the two boys. Sora was determined to see this battle through to the end, and Riku had a duty to stand by him, no matter what.

Steeling himself against the inevitable backlash, he hardened his features, steadying his voice. "I won't let him go."

And with that, she reached up and grabbed his other cheek with her hand. Tugging gently, the woman pulled Riku's face down, and she stood upon the tips of her toes to reach the tall young man. To his surprise, despite all of the fear and confusion and heartbreak that was written over both her face and that of her husband's, she responded with nothing but love as she pressed a soft kiss to Riku's forehead. "I should've known," she giggled brokenly. To her husband, she added, "It was surprisingly adorable."

Sora's father added, exasperated, "Normally, boys your age don't cuddle their friends because of 'nightmares'."

Blankly, Riku mumbled, "But I- it wasn't- I mean"

"You _both_ need to come home safe," the short woman commanded seriously, interrupting him as the words choked up her throat. Her eyes burned fiercely with so much devotion and affection that for a moment, Riku wanted to curl up and cry, wanted to collapse into her arms, to feel _safe_. "I love Sora- but I also love you too, Riku. So much. You and Sora- you're both _my boys_."

Riku inhaled sharply, and he felt a large hand clasp his shoulder. Sora's father had crossed the room to stand near the whispering duo, careful to not alert Sora of anything going on. Without a word, the man held out a hand, one which Riku shook tentatively. However, rather than releasing the boy, Sora's father wordlessly gathered the silver-haired boy into his arms in a warm hug.

"You've grown into such a strong young man. I'm so proud of you, little Riku. Take care of Sora. Protect each other," the man murmured against his hair.

Riku began to tremble, the warmth he received from the two loving figures almost too much. The last twelve hours had all been _too much-_ from finding his mother at his childhood home, to facing his past, to holding the brunet in his arms… and finally, this moment, where he was wrapped in the embrace of the two adults he had been the most scared to see after all this time.

"I- I'll try," he stuttered at last.** "**I promise."

They both squeezed him tight, and just as suddenly, the silent spell which had been cast over them all was broken. Sora's father ambled over to the stove, calling out brightly, "Who wants some bacon?"

"Pancakes are ready, boys!" Sora's mother chirped beside him. The brunette waved Riku over, gesturing to a cabinet. "Riku, sweetheart, get the plates. Goodness knows Sora won't be useful."

"Mom, I heard that!" Sora whined from the dining room, and with a few pounding footfalls Sora slipped into the kitchen. "I'll help, geez. Don't use Riku to gang up on me!"

The woman stuck her tongue out at her son playfully, giggling when the boy mirrored her without hesitation. Sora's father groaned, rolling his eyes and clapping Riku on the back while handing him a plate of sizzling bacon to bring to the dining table. "Do you see what I have to deal with?" the large man boomed mirthfully before heading back to the stove to fry up some eggs.

Riku's eyes trailed from person to person, taking it all in. He stared at the tall, stocky man by the stove, carving the man's strong, reliable silhouette into his memory. His gaze drifted towards Sora's mother, the brunette pouring out two cups of coffee with a wide, cheerful smile creasing her eyes, all traces of her previous fears gone as she looked at Sora.

_Sora._

Riku finally allowed himself to look at Sora, to drink in the image of the boy pouting innocently in front of him. His brown hair was unkempt and shaggy from his listless sleep, bright blue eyes narrowed as he protested against his mother's teasing. His rumpled t-shirt and shorts were both just a little too short to take him seriously, but his long, lean limbs, matured face and strong stance proved that he wasn't a child any longer. More importantly, however, was the smile which returned to Sora's lips, a smile that was so blindingly pure and honest that it illuminated the entire kitchen, this entire loving tableau of a family reunited.

He burned the scene into his memory, letting it fill his heart with all of the love he could possibly take in. He ensured that he would never forget being there, in that moment, standing barefoot in a pair of sweatpants, surrounded by delicious smells and tinkling laughter. He would never forget this tiny family in this tiny home, full of hearts too big for anyone to deserve.

"Riku, you need a haircut," the woman complained, and suddenly, Riku's attention was brought back to reality. Riku blinked, feeling Sora's mother push his bangs out of his eyes once again. "After breakfast, I'll cut it for you, okay?"

_We have to go see King Mickey, _he thought automatically.

She smiled, but there was an edge of sorrow to it. Her eyes pleaded, _Please?_

And once again, the fact that _they knew everything _hit him like a cold splash of water. Looking at Sora's father, he saw that there was a similar edge to the older man's smile as well. Both of them knew that Sora and Riku needed to leave, and that this was the last chance they would get to spend some time enjoying a guise of normalcy, of togetherness. They were scared to say goodbye, too.

He nodded slowly despite his better judgement. "Yes please," he murmured.

She beamed up at him, wrapping him in a one-armed hug briefly. "Off to the dining table with you, sweetie," she insisted.

And with that, Riku joined Sora and his parents at their tiny dining table. When Sora sat excitedly next to Riku on the small guest stool, pulling it close to the older boy as he brightly talked about nothing in particular, Riku didn't move away from the body crammed next to his. He simply searched for the eyes of the adults watching them, relaxing when he saw nothing but fondness and understanding in their gaze. He smiled at them, too- and for the first time in a long, long time, he imagined how nice it would be to come downstairs to this kitchen every day, with Sora pressed into his side and safety all around.

Maybe one day, that would truly be his reality. Maybe Destiny Islands _could _become his home again. The thought sent a wave of longing over him. Just as they called him their 'son', maybe Riku could one day call them 'Mom' and 'Dad', too.


End file.
